Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

PCOM was established on January 24, 1899 as the Philadelphia College and Infirmary of Osteopathy (PCIO).[6] It was the third osteopathic medical school to open in the United States.[7] In September 1899, the first PCIO degree was awarded, and in February 1900, the first PCIO "class," comprising one woman and one MD, graduated. In May 1921, PCIO was renamed to Philadelphia College of Osteopathy (PCO).[8] In 1967, the school adopted its present-day name, becoming the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM).[8]

In 1973, PCOM opened a new building, Evans Hall, and relocated to its current campus along City Avenue in Philadelphia. In 1979, PCOM acquired the adjacent office building, which was later named Rowland Hall in honor of PCOM's 4th President. From 1995-1999, Evans Hall expanded to include a modern osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) lab, more classrooms, a new cafeteria, and the office of admissions.

During the 1990s a series of new graduate level programs were added, expanding the scope of the medical school to a wide range of health-care related programs. In 1993, PCOM started the graduate program in biomedical science, offering graduate certificates and Master of Science degrees. In 1995, a Doctor of Psychology program was established. In 2005, the school opened a branch campus in Georgia, which graduated its first DO class in 2009.

In 2005, PCOM Georgia (formerly known as GA-PCOM) enrolled its first class of osteopathic medical students.[9] PCOM Georgia offers the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree (DO), the Doctor of Pharmacy degree, the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and graduate programs in biomedical sciences and physician assistant studies.

In 2019, PCOM South Georgia welcomed its inaugural class of osteopathic medicine students[10] and in 2020 its first cohort of Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences students.[11]

For more than a century, PCOM has trained physicians, health practitioners, and behavioral scientists. In the United States, there are two types of physicians: DO physicians and MD physicians. Both are fully qualified physicians, licensed to prescribe medication and perform surgery.

PCOM Archives: 1908 Dissection Lab

As a free-standing medical school, PCOM offers only graduate-level training. PCOM offers doctoral degrees in osteopathic medicine (D.O.), pharmacy (PharmD), physical therapy (DPT), and psychology (PsyD). In addition, master's degrees are offered in school psychology, public health, organizational development and leadership, forensic medicine, biomedical sciences, and physician assistant studies.

PCOM is institutionally accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) program is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association. The Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program at PCOM Georgia is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Accreditation-Continued status to the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Effective May 2, 2018, the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at PCOM Georgia has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. PCOM's PsyD program in Clinical Psychology is accredited by the American Psychological Association and its School Psychology PsyD program is accredited on contingency by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association.[12]

PCOM operates three campuses; one campus is located in Philadelphia, another is near Atlanta in Suwanee, Georgia and the third is in Moultrie, Georgia. The Philadelphia campus is 17 acres, and the Georgia campus in Suwanee is 23 acres.

The PCOM Library is the college's library. In addition to its other activities, the library is also responsible for the creation of the College's institutional repository, the Digital Commons at PCOM.[13]

Students at both the Philadelphia and Georgia campuses have access to fitness centers, and participate in several recreational and professional clubs on campus. PCOM hosts the sole remaining chapter Phi Sigma Gamma, an osteopathic fraternity, which was founded in 1917.[14] The college hosts an active chapter of Sigma Sigma Phi, a national Osteopathic Medicine Honors Fraternity that emphasizes community service and scholastic achievement.

In addition to its affiliation with several teaching hospitals, PCOM runs several primary care healthcare centers[15] including Cambria Division Healthcare Center,[16] Lancaster Avenue Healthcare Center,[17] and Family Medicine at PCOM.[18] The clinics serve the dual purpose of providing community-based health care as well as providing educational experiences for medical students. Services include family medicine, gynecology, dermatology, geriatrics, psychology, and OMM.

PCOM residency programs[19] include a multi-hospital integrated approach. The total position numbers can vary with program directors' plans and implementation time frame.

• Family Medicine
• General Surgery
• Internal Medicine
• Neurosurgery
• Osteopathic Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine
• Ophthalmology
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Otorhinolaryngology

• Hospice and Palliative Medicine
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• Geriatric Medicine

The mission of the Center for Chronic Disorders of Aging (CCDA) at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine is to improve the quality of life for all individuals suffering from age-related chronic diseases and disorders.[20] The CCDA promotes a better understanding of the nature of chronic disease processes by supporting basic and applied investigations, and providing educational opportunities for the community, scientists and health care professionals. The CCDA furthers its mission through an interdisciplinary approach combining scientific research, education, and clinical application into chronic diseases and disorders associated with the aging process.

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine has trained 12,941 physicians, with 2,467 non-physician alumni.[21]

• Ethel D. Allen, D.O., an American Republican politician.
• David Baron, DO, MSEd, Senior Vice President and Provost, Western University of Health Sciences, National Fulbright scholar, and internationally recognized concussion researcher.
• Sue Baily, DO - former administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Bo Bartlett, an American realist painter.
• Jay Bhatt, DO, MPH - Chief Medical Officer and President and CEO of the Health Research and Educational Trust of the American Hospital Association.[22][23][24][25]*
• Ronald R. Blanck, D.O., the first and only osteopathic physician ever appointed Surgeon General of the US Army.
• Sean Conley, D.O., incumbent Physician to the President and Commander in the US Navy.
• Ira W. Drew, D.O., a Democratic politician in the U.S. House of Representatives.
• Steven Eisenberg, D.O., known as "The Singing Cancer Doctor."
• Ted Eisenberg, D.O., the Guinness World Record holder for most breast augmentation surgeries performed.
• Joseph C. Gambone, DO, MPH,[26] author of Essentials of Obstetrics and Gynecology.[27] Gambone Peak on Antarctica was named in his honor in 1970.[28][29][30]
• Joe Heck, D.O. was the U.S. Representative for Nevada's 3rd congressional district from January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2017, and is a member of the Republican Party.[31]
• Harold Marion Osborn D.O., a U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist in track.
• Walter Prozialeck, Professor and Researcher at Midwestern University
• W. Kenneth Riland, D.O., physician for President Richard M. Nixon and New York Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller, and cofounder of the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine.[32]
• Charles Sophy, D.O., psychiatrist, Medical Director for the LA Dept of Children and Family Services, and author of several books.
• Mitchel Storey, DO - clinic chief at the University of Washington, and team physician for The Seattle Mariners since 1985.[33]
• Jennifer Strong, an American soccer player who played as a defender for the United States women's national team.

• Medical schools in Pennsylvania

• Official website